Shadowshaper Legacy by Daniel José Older

This is what I always tell my students: the best thing you can do when you’re waiting and on submission-in fact, what you have to do-is write the next book, or short story, or work on the next project, because that’s the only way to stay grounded in what matters, which is the work. And then Salsa Nocturna was how I developed the world of Bone Street Rhumba, and that became a trilogy. And that’s mostly where Salsa Nocturna came from-the short stories. And there were some edits to do, so it took a while. That’s how they found it-I submitted it in the slush pile. I actually submitted it to Scholastic, way back when I wrote it. Shadowshaper was the first book I wrote, but it was before I had an agent.

What inspired you to start writing YA?Īctually, I started with YA, it just took longer to get published. You published a short-story collection and an urban fantasy novel before Shadowshaper was released. PW spoke recently with Older regarding counter-narratives, writing for teenagers, and the We Need Diverse Books movement. The second book in the series, Shadowhouse Fall, releases this month. His first YA novel, Shadowshaper (Scholastic/Levine), was named a PW Best Book of the Year in 2015. Throughout this series finale, Sierra works to end a cycle of violence perpetrated by some of her ancestors' magic and embrace the magic that promotes artistic expression and healing.Daniel José Older is the bestselling author of the Shadowshaper Cypher, a YA fantasy series featuring Brooklyn teenager Sierra Santiago, as well as the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy trilogy. Stories told of ancestors include more violence: a mother is shot and killed in front of her daughter, another mother tries and fails to kill her more magical daughter, and guards are maimed.

Some hairy moments in Shadowshaper Legacy include a threatening man purposely run over, fights with blades, a teen impaled in the shoulder and magically healed, a concert brawl with teeth knocked out and people trampled, and creepy magical beings attacking and causing injuries. Straight and LGBTQ couples kiss, with some innuendo, sneaking into rooms, and undressing. Like the rest of the series, there's regular swearing in English and Spanish (mostly 's-t' and 'ass' and not 'f-k') and some complex social themes to discuss - though this time instead of tackling police brutality, Sierra and her diverse group of friends face off against some skinheads (whose views are not discussed in the story).

Parents need to know that Shadowshaper Legacy is the third book in the Brooklyn-set Shadowshaper Cypher fantasy series with a Latina hero named Sierra.

Shadowshaper Legacy by Daniel José Older